2016 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses

Canada: The Inuit village of Kangirsuk in northern Quebec

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAST YEAR

Dispatches—News From Around the World

PLAY

Dispatches—News From Around the World

Reaching Out to All Canadians

The video Why Study the Bible? has now been translated into eight native languages in order to address the needs of the Canada branch territory. During a ten-day Nunavik Arctic campaign in October 2014, the video was shown in Inuktitut to almost every household in 14 communities, representing a population of over 12,000 people.

The Manager Was Impressed

In September 2014, the Seoul international convention was held at the Sangam World Cup Stadium in South Korea. The more than 56,000 in attendance enjoyed the program. The manager of the stadium expressed his appreciation for the good conduct and cooperation of the Witnesses during the event. He said: “Everyone conducted themselves with good manners. I was amazed to see them cleaning the stadium better than our professional cleaning personnel. I wish our personnel had the same attitude when doing their work. If we are to practice religion properly, we need to become like Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

South Korea: The 2014 international convention in Seoul

Jehovah Gave the Needed Training

In May 2012, the government of Sweden rejected an application by Jehovah’s Witnesses to receive the economic benefits granted to other religious organizations. The Governing Body gave the approval for the decision to be appealed to the country’s Supreme Administrative Court.

The Court decided to hold an oral hearing before reaching a decision. Several brothers from various countries met to consider how to answer questions that might be asked at the hearing. The practice session took place at a Kingdom Hall in Stockholm.

During the practice session, the doorbell rang at the hall. A brother opened the door, and two girls, aged 13 and 14, introduced themselves. They said that they wanted to ask some questions about Jehovah’s Witnesses. The brother recalls, “I wanted to tell them to come back another day, since we were busy and did not have time for this sort of interruption.”

Nevertheless, the brother decided to talk to them. The girls had many questions, some of which were quite specific regarding social issues and voting in elections. Afterward, the brother returned to the rest of the brothers and told them what questions the girls had asked and how he had answered them.

The next day, the brothers were surprised during the hearing because the Court asked many of the same questions that the girls had asked. A brother representing the organization says: “I felt very calm, although I could have been quite nervous because I was standing before the country’s most distinguished lawyers. But I felt that Jehovah had already shown that he was with us by giving us the training we needed the day before.”

The Court ruled in our favor, and the case was referred back to the government for a new decision.

Ken’s Bag of Rice

Ken, who is six years old, lives in Haiti. He was happy to learn that soon a new Kingdom Hall would be built for his congregation. He decided to make a secret contribution box and hide it in his room. Instead of spending the allowance his parents gave him for school, he put it in his box. He did this faithfully until the Kingdom Hall construction group arrived to begin work on the project. He then gave them his secret box, which contained enough money to buy a large bag of rice. For many days, Ken’s rice was served at the work site during the noon meal.

Orders From the General

During much of the past year, it was necessary to obtain special permission to enter regions of Sierra Leone that were quarantined because of the Ebola outbreak. For example, circuit overseers needed to obtain badges and vehicle passes to enter those areas, and so did couriers who were transporting literature and correspondence. Disaster Relief Committee members needed to take in infrared thermometers, bleach, and food. Amazingly, the necessary documentation was always provided.

One experience was particularly faith-strengthening. The brothers submitted a written application requesting 34 badges and 11 vehicle passes, but they had to meet with an army general to have the request approved. Two brothers from the branch office met with the general on the day that they had hoped to pick up the badges and passes. However, the application was nowhere to be found. The brothers were asked to look for it themselves among the piles of applications on hand, but they could not find it. At that point, the general told his secretary that he was closing his office and that no applications would be considered until two weeks later. Silently, the brothers prayed fervently for Jehovah’s help in the matter. The general then looked at the brothers and asked, “How many badges and passes do you need?” When he was told the number, he rose from his chair and bellowed, “That is too many!”

The brothers explained the nature of our work and how our relief supplies were helping to deal with the Ebola crisis. The general then paused, looked at his secretary, and said, “Give them everything they need.”

Guinea and Sierra Leone: Hand sanitation procedures were implemented at all Kingdom Halls